Miss Avonia Bonney, whose portrait appears in this number, was born at Cambridge in 1854, and is the daughter of W. L. Bonney of the well-known house of Jordan Marsh & Co. In early childhood she manifested a strong passion for music, and as she grew up, displayed so much ability that her friends deemed it desirable she should have every opportunity for cultivating her talent. Accordingly, in 1869 she went to Italy, accompanied by her mother, and for two years applied herself closely to study under Signer Gerli, at Milan. In 1871, when but seventeen years old, she made a most successful debut at Alessandria, appearing as Ainina in "Sonnambula." In February, 1872, she went to Turin to fill an engagement of nearly five months. During the rerminder of 1872 and the beginning of 1873 she sang at Barlelta and Naples. Although but nineteen, she has appeared in eight operas, viz.: — " Lucia di Lammermoor," "Sonnambula," " Crispino la Comare," "Elisir d'amore," "Cater•ina di Belp,"" Carnival di Venice," " Ballo en Maschera," and "Linda," with such marked success as to excite critics and audiences to the most unbounded approbation and applause. We cannot chronicle her success better than by giving two or three brief extracts from the Italian journals of the day.

Trovatore, speaking of her debut in "Sonnambula," says: "Avonia Bonney is very charming and graceful; has not as yet a large voice, but sings well, and always in tune. One could scarcely believe she was a debutante, so self-possessed and accurate was she in her acting. Loud applause greeted her in the duet with the tenor in the finale of the second act (after which there was a unanimous call before the curtain); also for the rondo and finale of the opera."

The Piedinontese Gazette, says of one occasion at Turin : — " Signorina Avonia Bonney, whom we heard as prima donna, executed two most difficult pieces, one from ' Sonnambula,' the other from the air of the ' Carnival di Venice,' in a most elegantly correct manneri and had the honor of being called out several times."

from Circondario di Barletta: — " She is all grace and elegance, with a voice perfectly in tune and especially agreeable, and of an excellent school. She sings with expression, and acts her part in a manner so perfectly natural and with a gayety so spontaneous that she has become the great sympathy of the pnblic, who every night demand the encore of the 'Ballata,' which she executes with almost infantile coquetry."

La Democrazia, referring to her appearance in "Caterina di Belp," remarks: — "The principal character of 'Caterina' was entrusted to the Signorina Avonia Bonney, who is scarcely eighteen years of age, but gifted with the most charming and elegant qualities that could possibly be desired. She revealed a most pure method, and a grace particularly

her own, receiving the warmest ovation at every piece. For this young flower of North America we predict most warmly a flattering and brilliant artistic future."

We expect that in due time the public of America will give her a warm and enthusiastic welcome home to the land of her native birth.